


Your time is gonna come.

by BarPurple



Series: Deca'verse [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blood and Gore, F/M, First Blade, Heavy Angst, Hell, Kissing, Mark of Cain, Men of Letters Bunker, Original Character Death(s), Past Torture, Purgatory, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 01:59:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2211486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's only one place that will still call him one of their own, but is Dean willing to come home?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gentleish opening chapter, but this story is going to get very bloody quickly. I will include warnings in the chapter notes. 
> 
> There are also more character tags to come, but spoilers sweeties.

After the long drive from Sioux Falls the Impala glided easily into the Bunker’s garage. From the contented rumble of her engine it sounded as if the classic car was glad to be home. The harmonics vibrated the floors of the rooms above, though at a frequency below the range of normal human hearing. It was detected by all three of the not-normal-at-all humans in the Bunker that day, but only one of them recognized the sound for what it was.

 

\---{}---

 

“Hey Assbutt. You really said that to Michael?”

“Yes, and then I molotoved him with Holy Oil.”

“He has learnt better insults since then.”

Dorothy, Castiel and Sam made their way up to the Bunker’s main room laughing and joking; their jollity stopped when they were met at the top of the stairs by a pale faced Charlie.

“What’s the matter, Red?”

Charlie managed a weak smile in reply to the concern in Dorothy’s voice.

“We’ve got some visitors.”

The returning hunters instantly thought the worst and reached for their weapons, but Charlie shook her head.

“No, not that kind of visitor. Just, I didn’t want you walking in unprepared.”

Lethal objects safely stowed within easy reach, Charlie let them continue into the main room. She caught Dorothy’s sleeve as she passed and gave her a quick hug.

“I’m so glad you’re home Dottie.”

More than anything else, the use of the nickname told Dorothy just how stressed her friend really was. The two of them entered the main room just in time to see Castiel pull a short woman into his arms and passionately kiss her. When they broke apart the woman raised an eyebrow at the angel and said with a smirk;

“See you’ve learnt to put up or shut up Clarence.”

Cas looked down at her with a shy smile.

“I had a little practice. It’s so good to see you, Meg.”

Stunned Dorothy looked at Sam for an explanation and was even more confused to see him grinning from ear to ear. From the shadow of a doorway a deep voice, heavy with the accent of Louisiana rumbled;

“That would explain why she smells of angel.”

Sam twisted towards the voice and cried;

“Benny! What happened to you?”

Dorothy spotted the blood on Benny’s shirt just as Linda and Kevin stepped into the room behind the tall man. Tiger Mommy gave a shrug as she said;

“That was me; I didn’t know he was a friendly fang.”

Eyes wide Dorothy silently mouthed ‘Fang?’ at Charlie and received a nod and eye roll that plainly said; ‘Yup, long story.’ Benny clapped Sam on the shoulder as he said;

“Sorry to drop in unannounced brother, but Meg and I have brought you a little something.”

Sam finally looked at the long central table and saw a man sitting there watching the room with sad green eyes. If Benny hadn’t still been holding on to his shoulder Sam would have dropped to the floor in shock. He found his voice on the second attempt.

“Dean?”

“Hiya Sammy.”


	2. Reunited.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's my brother.

“Hiya Sammy.”

“Dean?”

Sam loped across the room and dragged his older brother from the chair into a bone crushing hug. It was only when Dean didn’t return the gesture that Sam noticed the demon warded chains around his wrists. He back away from Dean a little, but kept a white knuckled grip on his shoulder. The taller Winchester didn’t know if he needed to reassure himself Dean was really here, or if he was scared he’d vanish into thin air, either way he wasn’t letting his brother go. He stared at the chains for a second before turning with a frown to the others gathered in the room.

“Who put my brother in chains?”

“Cool it Sam. I told them to do it. Can’t have you forgetting what I am.”

“You’re my brother.”

Meg snorted.

“You might want to hold off on the touching reunion until you know what he’s done, Moose.”

Sam looked puzzled as Dean shrugged at him.

“I screwed up Sammy. I screwed up big time.”


	3. Through the back door of Hell…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone was waiting for Meg and Benny to explain just how they got back topside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of blood in this chapter.

“Okay run that by me one more time Cherie, but go easy on the theoretical physics.”

Meg made a noise that was part weary sigh and part frustrated groan. She lobbed another pebble into the river as she started explaining the plan, again, slowly for the vampire at her side.

“We use the door that Sam used to get into Hell during the Trials. Once we’re there we head to the Lethe, that’s the stream of oblivion. We catch a ride with the Ferryman and get back up top.”

The demon waited for the question she had expected the first time she’d explained this to Benny. She wasn’t sure if it was his vampire nature that made him slow, or if the heat in the Louisiana had poached his brain long before he became a fang; either way she was strongly considering punching him if he didn’t cotton on to the plan this time around.

“And because we’re crossing the river of forgetfulness in the opposite direction our spirits will remember our flesh and we get our bodies back topside. Right?”

Meg couldn’t keep the look of shock from her face, although to be honest she didn’t try that hard. Benny tried to look hurt, but his lopsided smile spoiled the effect.

“I worked that part out all on my own, are you proud of me Cherie?”

“I figured you couldn’t be as dumb as you look.”

Benny chortled in the low deep tone of his, as she’d discovered over their months together the fang was almost impossible to insult. In was an infuriating trait and one of the many, many reasons Meg wanted to get topside ASAP; at least Moose had the decency be stung by her barbs.

 

\---{}---

 

“So, you two left Purgatory and walked into Hell?”

Kevin’s incredulous tone was echoed on the faces of everyone else in the room. Benny gave an easy shrug.

“Not the craziest thing I’ve ever done. I once let someone cut my head off just ‘cause he asked for a favour.”

Dean and Sam both chuckled at this memory and for one sweet second everything was right with the world. Until Dean lifted his arms from under the table top and the demon warded chains rattled against the smooth surface.

 

\---{}---

 

It was Benny’s first time in Hell, as a vampire this wasn’t a stop on his afterlife tour. He quickly came to the conclusion that he hadn’t been missing anything. Whereas Purgatory felt pure, Hell felt grimy, desperate and filthy; which he supposed was the point. It was also a maze of narrow, low ceilinged corridors that had Benny moving with a constant stoop to avoid knocking his brains out. The tiny demon he was following had no such problems, but Meg was incredibly tense and that gave Benny cause for concern.

When they paused at the junction of two corridors Benny whispered to her;

“What’s wrong Cherie?”

Meg’s frown deepened.

“Something big is going on and I don’t like it.”

“Okay, we’ll just get out of here fast then.”

“If something big is going on who do you think will be right in the thick of it?”

“Dean. Is this a rescue mission now?”

 

\---{}---

 

Dean snorted with disgust.

“Rescue mission. Do I look like a Disney princess to you?”

“Yes.” “Yeah.” “A little.” “Kinda.” “Yep.”

“I hate you all.”

 

\---{}---

They found themselves on a balcony of sorts, overlooking a giant cavern that was swarming with demons, some in meat suits some in true Hell form. It was a scene that even Bosch and Giger would never have dared to imagine and right there in the thick of it was Dean Winchester. 

The stories they’d heard from the new arrivals in Purgatory were also true; Dean was a demon and he was wielding the First Blade. He was also under attack. Meg held Benny back with a shake of her head. She’d worked out what had been buzzing at her consciousness since they crossed into Hell; the voice of Lucifer. Meg had heard it before and responded to its siren call; she had no idea why it wasn’t weaving the Serpent’s magic over her now, but this was not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

“This isn’t a fight, this is a sacrifice. Just watch.”

Benny reluctantly did as she asked and quickly saw what she meant. The hordes of demons attacking Dean weren’t connecting with him; they were practically throwing themselves on his blade. Benny had fought shoulder to shoulder with Dean in Purgatory and on Earth; he thought he’d seen all the savage side of the man had to offer. He’d been wrong. Dean the man had been brutal, but efficient workmanlike in his kill; no wasted stabs, or slices just the quickest way to get the enemy from living to dead; a job to be done in order to survive. Dean the demon was revelling in the bloodshed; snarling with victory as each and every body fell. This was the savage beast unleashed and triumphant in slaughter. The sheer amount of spilled blood turned even the vampire’s stomach sour.

 

\---{}---

 

“And that’s when we lost sight of Dean for a while. It took us time to get down to the cavern floor. So I don’t know the details of what happened next.”

As Meg and Benny finished everyone looked towards Dean.

“Looks like this is where I pick up story time. Are you sitting comfortably kiddies? ‘Cause it don’t get any prettier from here.”


	4. The Monster’s Loose.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some blood spilled in Hell has more power than anyone would believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood, gore, body parts.

“Crowley and me, we’d been topside for a bit, getting some air. He vanished into his office and I went exploring. Found my way straight to that cavern, like I was being led there. It’s weird I remember the demons attacking and I remember the killing, but it’s like I’m watching a film of me, like I wasn’t really involved.”

Dean gave Sam a thoughtful stare.

“I think that’s the closest I’ve ever come to understanding how you must have felt without your soul. It was easy to start swing and with every black eyed bastard that I took down it just got easier. It was simple.”

Sam shifted uncomfortable under the curious glances of those at the table who didn’t know the history of his soulless year. Dean’s eyes glazed, lost in the memory of blood and gore. Benny caught Castiel’s eye and gave a small nod. The shift in the angel was subtle, but Benny knew he’d understood. If Dean twitched in any way that hinted at violence, they were ready. With a deep sigh Dean carried on recounting his tale.

“Finally they stopped coming. There was nothing left but corpses in ankle deep blood. That’s when she appeared.”

“Who?”

“My first.”

 

\---{}---

 

The last demon splashed sloppily to the ground, Dean was panting from exhilaration not exhaustion. He threw back his head and howled loud and long over the bodies of his vanquished foes. The sound of slow clapping made his jaw snap shut and his head whip towards the noise.

“Oh very well done.”

Dean frowned at the woman who was using the bodies like stepping stones to make her way towards him. He knew this demon, ah, of course, Crowley’s PA.

“Una?”

“That’s the name I go by now. You have so many names, titles I suppose. The Righteous Man, the Sword of Michael, and now Knight of Hell. All of them very grand.”

“Dean is fine.”

“Oh yes, we all know your given name. You never bothered asking mine the first time we met. Do you remember the very first time you laid eyes on me?”

Una gave a light airy laugh at the look of confusion on Dean’s face. She knew he was thinking of the meeting in Crowley’s office a mere handful of weeks ago.

“Our first meeting was here in Hell, but it was much longer ago than the moment you’re thinking of. Topside the date would have been August 2008.”

Dean’s eyes flickered from black to green as they went wide at the implication of this demon’s words.

“I see you remember where you were that August. I was the soul dragged on to the rack by Alistair. The rack you got up from as you took his straight razor in your hand. It was my blood you spilt onto the bedrock of Hell. It was my blood by your trembling hand that broke the First Seal.”

Una’s voice remained level, but there was sparkling madness shining in her eyes. Dean stood firm, but buried deep within his twisted soul the hunter within was shifting nervously. He drew the back of his free hand across his mouth, smearing blood across his face. Una’s crazy eyes followed the gore as he flicked it towards the ground.

“What’s Crowley’s game here?”

Again with that school girl laugh. It set Dean’s nerves on edge, like nails down a blackboard.

“The salesman doesn’t even know this game is being played. He’s very busy being trapped in his office and that’s where he’ll stay until we’re done here.”

Dean’s thought process was derailed as Una started unfastening her blouse. He couldn’t have stopped himself from saying what came out of his mouth next if you’d paid him.

“If you wanted to get laid you just had to ask nicely.”

“I gave you all these demons to kill, wasn’t that nice enough?”

“Hell’s version of buying me a drink?”

Una smiled and let her blouse fall open. The cocksure swagger slid from Dean’s face as he saw the thick raised scar that swooped across the pallid flesh of Una’s abdomen. 

“Admiring your handiwork? I couldn’t get rid of the scar, I was lucky that it healed at all, wounds of this importance never truly heal.” 

Now Dean took a step back; the congealing blood sluggish shifted around his boots. The hunter within screamed caution, as it had been since he walked into this cavern. Now Dean took heed of his own instincts and had to fight down a swell of panic. Years of self-depreciating bravado took control of his vocal chords.

“Nice to know there’s one woman in the world I left an impression on.”

Dean shifted uneasily on his feet as he spoke; he was hoping Una would take it for self-pity, but it gave him a chance to glance around the room and try to get a feel of what was going on here; apart from the carnage he had caused.

“That’s all any of us want, Dean; to leave an impression on a small part of the world. It’s all they want.”

“Who?”

“Lucifer and Michael. Hear me out Dean, please? Can you give me at least that much?”

The vicious look of hateful loathing on Dean’s face had caused Una to back off, her hands raised defensively, giving Dean another clear view of the scar on her stomach. The scar he’d given her because he’d been too weak to keep saying no to Alastair, too weak to endure.

“Talk fast.”

Una lower her hands and pulled her blouse closed.

“They’ve done this Dean, all of Crowley’s talk about the spell to rebalance Hell was them pulling Crowley’s strings. Hell is fine; well it’s not going nuclear anyway. Lucifer and Michael just want out of the Cage. They don’t want the apocalypse, they just want their freedom. They want the chance they’ve been denied for so long; they want to experience the world as brothers.”

“Those two feathered douchebags have been pulling my strings too?”

“No. You’re a Knight of Hell, Dean. They can’t control you. Michael can’t take you as his vessel even if he wanted to now. You are your own man, in nobody’s shadow, under nobody’s thumb, nobody’s puppet. You could stand with Lucifer and Michael, brothers in arms and wipe the evil from the face on the Earth.”

“I have a brother and that’s our family business you’re talking about.”

Una glance at the ground as she licked her lips. There was a subtle shift in her tone and posture that Dean almost recognised, but he couldn’t remember where from.

“I thought Sam didn’t want you as a brother anymore? I thought you’d disappointed him one to many times? He never appreciated anything you did for him, Dean; everything you gave up for him. He’s his father’s son like that, neither of them really wanted you around, they just used up you and threw you away. If Sam’s still a hunter, he’s probably searching for a way to kill you; a way to finally put down Daddy’s rabid little attack dog.”

As she’d spoken Una had crept closer to Dean, though he’d hardly noticed. Her words had moved through him leaving him cold and numb. On his arm the Mark of Cain, the brand of the disgraced brother, countered the liquid nitrogen in his veins with the fires of rage. Dean pulled Una into his body in a one armed embrace. She gasped as she found herself close enough to the Knight to kiss him. Very softly Dean whispered;

“I thought you knew my name? I’m Dean Winchester and I don’t say yes to archangels.”

The gesture was almost tender, Dean brought the First Blade up through Una’s stomach so smoothly that she didn’t even feel it until the blood started to flow from the wound. Dean frowned as she smiled and gave a gurgling wet chuckle.

“I knew I could count on you to do the right thing Dean. Daddy’s coming home.”

Dean dropped her body in shock as the ground beneath his feet began to shake and tremble. The lake of blood and gore on the ground shivered and started to flow together. Dean struggled to keep his balance as the blood swirled and grew into towering stalagmite. Dismembered and decapitated bodies nudged and bumped his knees as they too were draw into this macabre construction. Dean was glad he hadn’t needed to eat in a few months, else his roiling guts would be adding to the mess of bodily fluids. 

The ground stopped quaking and a thick silence oppressive silence filled the stinking air; it filled his ears so completely that Dean saw the stalagmite rend and split open before he heard the thunderous crack.

There was only one place that this dread portal could serve as doorway for. The Cage was open once more. Dean brought the Blade up ready and braced himself for the coming attack.


	5. Brothers in Arms.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A family reunion, or sorts.

Dean swallowed his throat dry from so much talking. He’d kept his eyes down while telling his part of the story, choosing to focus on the demon warded chains around his wrists rather than on the faces of his friends. Damn it, he’d thought of these people as family and now he hadn’t the guts to look them in the eye. It was Sam’s quiet voice that forced him to raise his head.

“Lilith. That’s who Una reminded you of.”

Dean gave a curt nod and knew that Sam understood how he’d been manipulated, after all Lucifer’s lackeys had used the same ploy on Sam all those years ago. Instead of dropping his eyes again Dean risked a slow look around the table.  
It was pretty much as he’d expected, the expressions ranged from Castiel’s inscrutable mask of concentration through variations on anxiety to Mrs Tran’s frown of fierce determination.

Kevin puzzled Dean the most. The young prophet’s face had a blank, closed off look that was new to Dean. It was the best news Dean had received in a damn long while that Kevin was back in the land of the breathing, even if the tidings had been delivered as a punch to the face when the escapees from Hell arrived at the Bunker. Kevin hadn’t spoken since, but his voice was firm and clear when he asked;

“What happened next?”

Dean tried to rub the back of his neck and got tangled on his chains before he answered;

“It’s a bit of a blur till we got topside.”

Kevin didn’t blink as he held Dean’s gaze, nor did he look away when he declared;

“Bullshit.”

“Come again?”

“You know exactly what happened and we all need to know. I’m not willing to die again just because of your trust issues.”  
Dean stared at Kevin looking for any trace of the young, scared advanced placement student he had once been. It looked like that kid was long gone.

“Alright, no more playing it close to the vest, cards on the table.”

 

\---{}---

 

The attack Dean was braced for never came instead Lucifer strolled out of the gapping stalagmite of bodies and calmly stretched his arms above his head like a man waking up from a good night’s sleep. The devil completely ignored Dean in favour of casting a critical eye over the newly formed door to his prison.

“Yech. Rather gothic, I feel like I’m in a music video.”

Dean rolled his eyes and relaxed his stance a little as the second prisoner emerged from the Cage.

“Congratulations brother, we are free.”

Lucifer grinned and finally turned to face Dean.

“Hello Dean.”

“Lucifer.”

“I assume you remember my brother Michael, oh and your brother Adam.”

Michael looked the same as he did when he took the swan dive into the Cage with Lucifer. He was still wearing the half-brother Dean had never really known as a meat-suit; which brought a question to Dean’s lips.

“Why do you look like Nick, Lucifer? He was never in the Cage.”

Lucifer looked down at his own borrowed form.

“We’re on my turf Dean. I can take whatever form I please.”

The devil put a finger to his lips and struck a thoughtful pose.

“Although I am currently the odd one out, aren’t I?”

What was about to happen hit Dean a fraction of a second before Nick’s image shuddered and gained about five inches in height; his hair grew at least the same amount as his shoulders became broader. Dean closed his eyes before Lucifer finished morphing, but he couldn’t keep them shut. Against his will his eyelids slammed open to find an image from a future that never was standing before him: Sammy in a white suit being worn by the first fallen archangel.

“That’s better, all brothers together in more ways than one.”

Dean had to unclench his jaw before he could spit out;

“Enjoy the illusion. Sam’ll never let you in again.”

“Never say never, Dean. Who knows what delights the future holds for us all?”

Michael cleared his throat to interrupt the intense staring contest that was going on between the two men.

“There are certain matters we must attend to Lucifer.”

Lucifer looked away from Dean as he clapped his hands together.

“You’re right of course Michael. Busy, busy, no rest for the wicked. Let’s go and had a little chat with Crowley.”

He waved his hand and the dregs of blood and gore that remained on the carven floor shifted to leave a clear path. A derisive huff left Dean’s lips, of course Lucifer wouldn’t want to get those pristine white loafers messy.

Michael led the way with only a nod in passing to Dean. On Sam’s long legs Lucifer had already passed Dean before the Knight could splutter out;

“What? Your just letting me go?”

Sam’s body turned gracefully as Lucifer pulled his features into an apologetic smirk that Dean had never seen on the genuine article.

“Where are my manners? Thank you for part in our release. The little blast from your past was telling the truth when she said we have no control over you. Go, stay it’s your choice Dean.”

Lucifer turned and took two steps towards the doorway before he turned back and grinned at Dean.

“I do expect that you’ll be seeing this face again very, very soon. Do give Sam my love.”

 

\---{}---

 

Sam looked sick as he ran his hands through his hair. His eyes widen in a sudden panic and he twisted rapidly to look at Castiel.  
“He can’t wear my face topside, can he Cas?”

“No. He can manipulate his form in Hell, but on Earth he requires a vessel.”

Sam blew a relieved breath from his lungs and turned his attention back to Dean and nodded at him to continue. The older Winchester shrugged.

“Lucifer left me standing there and the next thing I know Benny is yelling at me to get my ass in gear, ‘cause we’ve got a boat to catch.”

The vampire was nodding as enquiring eyes turned to check this fact, but it was Meg who spoke up;

“Yeah, Dean was checked out when we got to him, but I can tell you the rest.”


	6. …and out the other side.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Quick question; what happens if I die here?”
> 
> “Quick answer; Don’t.”

A rushing tidal wave of sensation crashed through her mind, smashing through all clear thought leaving nothing but the blissful childish feeling of ‘Daddy’s home’. Meg stumbled and clung to the rough rock of the wall to keep her feet.

“Cherie?”

The demon’s face was contorted as if she was about to sneeze. It was tempting to succumb to the mindless happy state the Lucifer’s freedom triggered in demons. Just relax and obey … screw that! Meg broke the surface of the deadly euphoria and blew out a hard breath. She waved an impatient hand at Benny as her reached to help her.

“I’m fine. The Cage is open. If we’re gonna get Dean we need to do it now.”

The steel back in her spine Meg let go of the wall and started off down the corridor at a fast trot. Benny’s longer strides let him keep pace with the petite woman, who was muttering under her breath. Benny caught Dean’s name and a surprising string of cussing he’d have to ask her about later; there were some choice phrases in there he’d never heard before. He’d seen Meg like this before and it normally ended up with somebody getting their ass handed to them. He wondered if Dean might be better off going toe to toe with Lucifer right now.

Meg’s arm stopped the vampire in his tracks and focused his mind. They heard voices approaching, but couldn’t see into the next corridor without revealing themselves. Benny’s eyes widen in shook as he recognized Sam Winchester’s voice.

“He will join us brother. He won’t be able to help himself.”

“I have faith in your plan, Lucifer. What are you going to do with Crowley?”

“Demote him.”

Those two words told Benny that this was some kind of trick; Sam never had that tone in his voice. The was no single word for the twisted delight anticipating horrors to come that Benny heard in those words, like a bear trap wrapped in silk; deadly but attractive. Meg’s hand pulled at his shirt front to get him moving again.

They entered the cavern to find Dean standing motionless in front of a hideous tower of corpses. The First Blade was hanging loosely by his side. Meg nudged Benny forward; a clear indication as to who she thought should approach Dean. Before he did just that Benny softly asked her;

“Quick question; what happens if I die here?”

Meg hissed her answer as she shoved him towards Dean.

“Quick answer; Don’t.”

The vampire circled around so he wasn’t coming up behind Dean. The last time a vampire had snuck up on Dean it had been beheaded before its fangs were fully extended. He stood in front of Dean, looking as relaxed as he could muster given the surroundings. It took a second, and Benny could see that it was hard work, but Dean pulled himself out of whatever thoughts he was lost in and focused on his friend.

“Benny?”

“It’s me, Dean. We got to beat feet brother.”

“You’re another trick to manipulate me.”

Dean’s voice was a lead weight of tired, the kind of sick of life tired that made you lie down and wait for Death. Benny licked his lips and thought fast.

“Poughkeepise.”

“Huh, even Crowley knows that code. Doesn’t make you real.”

The vampire rolled his eyes. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Rhonda Hurley and Beth Grantham.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Dean’s blood splattered face and Benny caught a glimpse the hunter he’d fought through Purgatory with in the face of the demon before him.

“Okay. It’s you.”

Meg had decided that now was a s safe as it was going to get to approach the pair. Her brow puckered into a slight frown as Dean gave her nothing but a blank look before returning his gaze to the floor.

“Bonding over? Good. We need to move. Now!”

 

\---{}—

 

“Who are Rhonda Hurley and Beth Grantham?”

Dean and Benny shared a look at Charlie’s innocent question. Benny’s poker face was almost perfect as he said;

“Sorry Red, you got to let that be the one thing I take to my grave, again.”

Charlie wasn’t the only one who caught the subtle tone that suggested an embarrassing story being protected. She shrugged, but made a note to try and wheedle the details from the fang when life was less crazy.

 

\---{}---

 

Benny had to physically drag Dean along behind him as Meg lead the way to the river. There was a change in the air that was making Meg testy, the sooner they were out of here the better. The twisting tunnel finally opened out on to a bleak riverbank. Before they left the relative safety of the tunnel mouth Meg turned to Benny and jabbed a finger at his chest.

“Don’t touch the water and if the Ferryman offers you the tiller do not take it.”

Benny nodded and tightened his grip on Dean’s unresisting arm as they hurried across to a rotting wooden jetty. Meg rang the rusting bell that hung from what Benny mistakenly thought was a twisted, stunted dead tree. A bone white tree with fingers, ah, the fang was spotting a common theme in Hell’s décor.

The low chime of the bell was oddly melodic. It became more complex as it echoed and resonated across the river. Within seconds a boiling fog had formed and was skimming across the surface of the water towards them. The ferry seemed to form from the fog. Benny ran a sailor’s eye over the boat and prayed its decrepit appearance was just part of Hell’s decoration scheme. Meg broke into a smile as the creaking, moaning boat bumped to a stop at the dock.

“Hello Ron.”

The Ferryman pushed back the cowl from his head and let it drop on to his shoulders as he peered at the demon.

“Little Spider! It’s been a while, got yourself killed again?”

“You know me Ron, not happy unless I’m a thorn in someone’s side.”

Ron rolled his eyes fondly as he waved them on to the boat. Meg hesitated for a moment and gave him a frown. There was a procedure to using the ferry of Charon and this wasn’t according to the script.

“I’m ignoring the protocol today Little Spider, got sick of that pompous nonsense centuries ago. Plus I’m betting you and your friends want to be on Earth before the devil knows you’re missing, hum?”

Meg threw a glance at Benny and received a shrug in reply. This was their way out and if the Ferryman wanted to make it easier on them they’d be fools to argue. Meg stepped forward and took Charon’s offered hand. She stepped lightly into the boat and turned to watched Benny as he nudged Dean forward. The Knight of Hell was present only in the physical sense; whatever was going on in Dean’s mind right now was not something Meg wanted to dwell on just yet. When his friend made no move to step on to the boat Benny sighed and hefted him into a fireman’s lift.

“Permission to come aboard Captain?”

“Granted Benny Lafitte, oh don’t look surprised it’s in my nature to know the name of every soul. Although I never expected to ferry you across these waters, but only a fool places a bet on anything that involves Dean Winchester.”

Benny stepped aboard and settled Dean on the bench seat in the middle of the boat as Charon pushed off from the dock. Ron was humming to himself as the crossed the water. The river hadn’t looked all that wide from the dock, but now Benny couldn’t see the other shore. In a way it was like being back at sea with an endless horizon before him and all the worries of the world at his back.

“So Little Spider, the Cage is open again?”

Meg gave him a small nod.

“Any clue as to what Stroppy Britches is planning this time round?”

Benny gave a low chuckle as he realized the Ron was referring to Lucifer.

“He’s got something planned for Crowley, that I’m sure will be unpleasant. Other than that I don’t want to imagine what him and Michael are going to do and I certainly don’t want to be on their radar.”

“Nice to see you have some self-preservation Little Spider, speaking of survival it might be time for me to take a holiday Topside.”

“You’re scared of Lucifer?”

Benny flinched as Meg punched his arm; apparently insulting the courage of the Ferryman was a dumb idea. Ron just smiled and sucked his teeth for a moment.

“That boy has some seriously nasty opinions on what he sees as lesser beings; which from his point of view is everybody that isn’t an angel and I’m not too sure he considers them with much compassion either. I’m a remnant of a different faith and I’d rather not test my strength against a ticked off archangel with a superiority complex.”

The rest of the journey took place in silence. Benny kept a close eye on Dean, who hadn’t moved since being put in the boat. Meg moved up next to him and pointed out across the water. There was a tree line rising on the horizon, it took no time at all for the ferry to bump against the shoreline. Meg turned to Ron and gave him a high five of all things.

“Where are we?”

Benny wasn’t expecting it to be Dean who answered.

“100 Mile Wilderness in Maine, same place Purgatory spits out.”

As Dean stepped off the boat the blood vanished from his face and clothes. He turned looked at Charon in almost surprise it was as if nothing of the trip from Hell had registered in his mind. The Ferryman gave him an appraising stare.

“You got a plan, boy?”

Dean rankled at being called a boy, but shook his head.

“Head to that brother of yours, take these two with you.”

“You know something about what’s coming?”

“Not a single thing, other than you are going to need all the help you can get.”

Charon helped Meg off the boat and whispered in her ear.

“Try not to get killed again in a hurry Little Spider.”

“Not promising anything Ron. You got plans for being Topside.”

As Ron poled the boat away from the shore he laughed.

“I’ll think of something to keep me busy.”

The boat vanished into the fog and the fog vanished into the water.

 

\---{}---

Meg took a gulp of her beer as she finished the recounting their trip from Hell.

“Dean zapped us outside the Bunker and here we are.”

The faces around the table varied in levels of fear, worry and anger, but they all held a weary resolve. This wasn’t the first apocalyptic rodeo for any of them, which considering there were over eight billion people on the planet it seemed massively unfair that this shit kept happened to so few people. Linda Tran rose to her feet.

“I’ll start dinner. Anyone who’s not actively planning how to tidy up this mess can help me in the kitchen.”

And that was all it took for the Bunker to go from real life horror stories to the domestic hubbub of preparing a meal.


	7. Hard Wired.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The correct term might be epiphany, but Dean thought Bobby would've said he'd finally got his head out off his ass. Idjit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of suicidal thoughts.

Tiger Mommy had never had so much willing help in the kitchen. In fact there were so many people in the room they were more of a hindrance than a help. Linda never thought she’d be grateful for the presence of a vampire, but Benny sure knew his way around a kitchen, which is more than could be said for the others who’d spend most of their lives surviving on fast food and microwave meals. 

The only people absent from the chaos were the reason for the sudden interest in food preparation. Sam, Dean and Castiel obviously needed time to talk and nobody wanted to get in the way of what could devolve into a blazing row between a hunter, a demon and an archangel. 

For now at least the conversation in the main room was civilized. Sam finally asked the question Dean had expected the second his brother returned.

“Where’s the Blade?”

“Benny gave it to Linda. I get the feeling if I ask for it back she’ll stick it in my chest.”

Sam grinned;

“Tiger Mommy really isn’t that scary.”

Cas made a noise that might have been a cough, but sounded suspiciously like ‘bullshit’. The differences in Cas were more apparent to Dean as he’d not see the angel in a few months. Castiel’s posture was more relaxed, there was less up tightness in his movements and less confusion in his eyes. Metatron’s data dump had done him some good, but there was something else Dean could quite put his finger on.

“I know this is a case of pot calling kettle black, but you look different, Cas.”

The angel huffed and fidgeted with his tie; on Tiger Mommy’s standing house rules Cas had removed his trench coat when he arrive, but he knew that wasn’t what Dean was referring to.  
“I am different, I’m an archangel now.”  
“Promotion, congrats.”  
Cas took a long, hard look at Dean, the sort of look that in the past had made the hunter uncomfortable and lead to innuendo. This time Dean sat impassive under the angelic scrutiny.

“It’s strange, there’s a demonic taint in you now, but you still look like you.”

Sam had sensibly decided that they were going to need something stronger than beer to get through this particular conversation and Dean was grateful for that as he took a swing from the heavy whiskey glass to give himself a moment to think. Cas had just confirmed the idea that had been swirling in Dean’s head since they arrived in Maine; time to see if it held up to explaining it to Sam and Cas. 

“When Lucifer and Michael just walked away, man I felt like a good dog that had done its job for the day. Everything just hit me. All the things we’d fought and beaten, everything that made me proud of us Sammy, wasn’t ours at all; everything in our whole lives has been angels, or demons, or monsters yanking us around some giant game board…”

“It’s not all been like that Dean.”

Sam’s hurt eyes looked on the verge of tears. Dean raised a hand to placate his brother.

“I know that, but I need explain where my head was to see if the conclusion I’ve come to makes sense to you two. Okay?”  
Sam frowned a little as he tried to untangle Dean’s words; thankfully Cas forestalled any further questions with a hand on Sam’s broad shoulder, allow Dean to try and get through this in one go.

“Everything about our lives has been because some big bad wanted to make the perfect game pieces for their end of days’ battle; from the cupid hit squad getting Mom and Dad together to demon blood, even throwing us around in time to get us to do what they want. I got lost in the regret, the bad choices, and the losses. I mean it’s the first thing any evil son of a bitch spits at me, that I’m nothing but Daddy’s little blunt instrument.”

Sam winced as he was pretty sure he’d said those very words to Dean while possessed by something, a crazy doctor ghost wasn’t it? 

“And there was Una telling me now I’m a Knight of Hell I’m my own man and not a puppet, all while Lucifer’s pulling my strings through her. I thought I’d hit rock bottom a few times in the past, but this was like falling off the edge of the world. If Benny and Meg hadn’t’ve shown up I think I would have stood there till I turned to stone.”

Dean paused to refill his glass. Cas and Sam had both seen Dean at times were he was low enough for them to worry about taking his own life, to go out in some misguided blaze of glory, but to hear him describe even the vague possibility of taking such a passive route to Death’s door made their insides twist. Dean set down his now half empty glass and continued.

“Still felt like I was falling all the time on the boat, but then we hit the shore of the lake in Maine and I stopped falling and everything just clicked in my head. Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between did make us, but they got a lot more than they bargained for.”

Dean leaned towards Sam and Cas, there was something burning in his eyes that spoke of excitement and, maybe if they were lucky, hope.

“You spent a year without a soul Sammy, what did you do? Apart from bang every chick that crossed your path.”  
Sam laughed as his checks coloured a touch. Any embarrassment was ignored as he tried to see where Dean was going with this question.

“I hunted.”

“Yeah, the kid who fought tooth and nail to get out of this life finally has no guilt or family ties and he doesn’t walk away and become a criminal mastermind or a lawyer; he hunts monsters non-stop.”

To be honest Sam tried not to dwell on that year too much, but now he did consider it and he realized he’d never given a single thought to doing anything other than hunt. Dean was grinning now.

“Y’know what I’ve done these past few months? Hunted monsters; not gone on a crime spree, or killed humans I’ve ganked an army of monsters. The-powers–that-think-they-be have hard wired us to be the perfect weapons against the supernatural, but they forgot to allow for Free Will and Winchester stubbornness. We decided which way we aim and what we fire at. What’s that Dumbledore line? Like tyrants everywhere they’ve made the tools of their own destruction.”

Sam was nodding slowly, smiling at his dorky big brother quoting Harry Potter. He was relieved that Dean hadn’t killed humans; that would have taken him across a line that there was no way back from. The more he thought about it, the more Dean was right.

“So does this mean that you want to keep the Mark to fight against Lucifer and Michael?”

“Oh hell no! This thing was slapped on Cain by Lucifer; he’ll find some way to use it against us and I don’t want to let him have any extra advantage.”

Sam smiled, happy to hear his brother’s normal bravado in the words. It was Cas who expressed the rightness of feeling that they were together against the world again. 

“Team Free Will’s back in action and it’s not just the three of us this time round.”

Sam moved forward to release Dean from the demon warded hand cuffs, but Dean pulled back out of his reach.

“Woah dude, these stay on until the Mark comes off. I don’t want anyone to forget what I am. Just in case Lucifer finds a way to get at me. We play this smart, okay?”

“Okay Dean, but when those things get in the way remember this was your plan.”


End file.
